Robin van Persie is left to consider his options after clashing with Giorgio Chiellini. Photograph: Sandro Perozzi/AP

Robin van Persie intends to do everything he can to get back into action for Arsenal as soon as possible – and will travel to Serbia for radical medical treatment that involves a massage using fluid from a placenta.

The Dutch forward – who has scored eight goals in 15 games in all competitions this season and emerged as one of the Gunners' key figures – has been ruled out for at least six weeks with partially-torn ankle ligaments following a heavy challenge from Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during Saturday's friendly in Pescara. Arsenal are happy with the care of the Dutch Football Association although they confirmed that Van Persie, 26, will return to London later this week to continue his rehabilitation.

However Van Persie is ready to go a step further to try to help the healing process. Speaking to Dutch television programme Studio Voetbal, the Arsenal striker revealed: "I will fly to the Balkans to meet with a female doctor who helped [PSV Eindhoven midfielder] Danko Lazovic. She is vague about her methods but I know she massages you using fluid from a placenta. I am going to try. It cannot hurt and, if it helps, it helps. I have been in contact with Arsenal physiotherapists and they have let me do it."

Van Persie accepted his injury could have been much worse, adding: "A scan showed that my ankle ligament was almost completely torn off where Chiellini caught me but it was not intentional. I was lucky, it could be worse."

Despite the prognosis now not being as bad as first thought, the loss of the Holland forward could not have come at a worse time for Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who is already without Nicklas Bendtner until early December because of a groin problem.

And although there is an outside chance of England forward Theo Walcott returning to first team football this month, Eduardo is most likely to be deployed as the central striker when Premier League leaders Chelsea visit the Gunners on 29 November.

The Brazilian-born forward – who has returned to form after spending almost a year sidelined with a broken ankle – scored twice in Croatia's 5-0 friendly win over Liechtenstein. Eduardo replaced Bendtner in the 3-0 win over Tottenham and missed a couple of good chances to score.

The Croatian, though, would be entitled to feel somewhat aggrieved not to have been credited with Arsenal's second goal at Wolves, when his chip was deflected in off defender Jody Craddock, and he remains confident that the rewards of continued hard work will come. "Against Tottenham I missed one big chance in particular, when I was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Maybe I had too much time to think about what I had to do," the 26-year-old said.

"Sometimes it is better when you have less time to think and can act instinctively. But I will not worry about that chance, I feel strong in my head and my body. It is good that I was in the position to have the chance because, if you keep doing that, then the goals will come."

Even if all goes well with Van Persie's recovery, Wenger will be without the skilful Dutchman until probably after Christmas, with the FA Cup third-round weekend on 2-3 January being a more realistic comeback date. As well as the visit of Chelsea – whom Arsenal trail by five points but with a match in hand – Van Persie will also be unavailable for the Carling Cup quarter-final clash against Manchester City, the potential Champions League Group H decider at Olympiacos as well as the trip to Liverpool and most likely the Boxing Day visit to Aston Villa.

A statement from Arsenal read: "Following the care given to Van Persie by the Dutch FA, he will travel back to London this week and continue his treatment with the Arsenal medical team at London Colney. Van Persie will be out of action for approximately six weeks."

Meanwhile the Brazilian midfielder Denilson, who has also been sidelined since mid-September by a back problem, is expected to be available after the international break, but defender Gaël Clichy, who is recovering from a similar problem, needs more recovery time. Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby – who had been troubled by a calf injury – has pulled out of the second leg of France's World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland.